https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2022 NextGen 101 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2022 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Channel Partners 101 (CP 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2022 NextGen 101 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2022 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Channel Partners 101 (CP 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Agents
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • Channel Partners Events
 Channel Futures

From the Industry


Moving Forward in Backing Up

  • Written by Zenith Infotech 1
  • August 19, 2013

For as long as businesses have been using computers, people have been concerned about losing their data when a glitch occurs. First, we copied data onto floppy disks that were actually floppy (yes, I worked with them!); then we turned to tape. Backup solutions have become far more sophisticated in the last decade, making automated disk-based backup more robust.

“Technology is supposed to make our lives easier, allowing us to do things more quickly and efficiently. But too often it seems to make things harder, leaving us with fifty-button remote controls, digital cameras with hundreds of mysterious features and book-length manuals…”

— James Surowiecki, journalist for The New Yorker

For as long as businesses have been using computers, people have been concerned about losing their data when a glitch occurs. First, we copied data onto floppy disks that were actually floppy (yes, I worked with them!); then we turned to tape. Backup solutions have become far more sophisticated in the last decade, making automated disk-based backup more robust.

Unfortunately, the more technology advances, the more complicated things become. Just when IT providers thought they had a handle on backup and recovery, the cloud came along. Virtualization and cloud services have moved beyond the periphery and now support mission-critical systems. Understanding the difference between backing up virtual machines vs. physical systems and knowing what to ask when selecting a BDR solution is vital for IT providers offering cloud and hosting services.

Why Is it So Complicated?

While there are tremendous advantages to virtualization, it’s important to understand why and how VMs complicate the backup and recovery process:

  • VMs are more than their data. A VM must remain tied to its operating system, applications, hypervisor settings, system configuration and logs.
  • VMs are dynamic. They can be created, paused, deleted, restarted and moved in an instant. A backup needs to detect these changes and keep associated data together.
  • VMs can be redundant. Backup can become storage-intensive when it retains multiple copies of the same software, OS and applications.
  • Physical and virtual compatibility is required. A backup solution for virtual systems has to be compatible with both VMs and the physical hardware running them.
  • Backup can impair performance. Virtual systems increase system utilization, but also reduce the processing and bandwidth resources available for performing backup.
  • Costs can be high. Depending upon the licensing model, costs can quickly mount (VM count).

Interview Questions for a VM Backup Solution:

When you’re looking at a backup solution for virtual systems, you need to ask the right questions. Here is what you need to ask any backup solution provider before signing on the dotted line.

  1. Is it compatible with your servers, drivers, hypervisor, operating systems and software?
  2. Is a separate physical server, SAN or NAS required?
  3. Can it also back up physical infrastructure, or is a different backup solution needed for that?
  4. How does it reduce storage usage (block-level, zero copy snapshots, de-duplication)?
  5. How are the management tools used and accessed?
  6. Is it integrated with other systems, such as the hypervisor or storage?
  7. If snapshots are used, how often are snapshots taken? Can it meet your recovery point objective?
  8. How is data recovered? Is it time- or labor-intensive? What recovery time objective can it meet?
  9. Can it back up multiple VMs simultaneously without impacting performance?
  10. Does it auto-detect new or moved VMs and automatically protect them by default?
  11. How does it support/provide failover functionality?
  12. Can you perform disaster testing without impacting production?
  13. Does it support offsite replication?
  14. Can you test or try it before purchasing it?
  15. What is the cost? Are licenses required per VM? How much is offsite bandwidth and storage?

Capture the Opportunity!

Backup of virtual systems goes hand in hand with providing cloud, hosting and virtualization services. It can be an incredibly lucrative service to bundle with your other offerings. Your customers understand its importance and want you to take care of it for them.

As challenging as constantly changing technology is, it also provides new revenue sources for IT providers who keep up and adapt. As Tim O’Reilly, a vocal advocate of the free software and open source movements, points out: “What new technology does is create new opportunities to do a job that customers want done.”

Richard Reiffer is Vice President of Cloud Services at Zenith Infotech and CEO of Global Cloud Consulting. Monthly guest blogs such as this one are part of Talkin’ Cloud’s annual platinum sponsorship.

Tags: Agents Cloud Service Providers MSPs VARs/SIs From the Industry

Most Recent


  • how to take shared responsibility for securing cloud
    How to Take Shared Responsibility for Securing Cloud
    While shared responsibility is a common term, surprisingly few people understand the model — and fewer still have implemented it correctly.
  • seize the application modernization opportunity
    Seize the Application Modernization Opportunity
    Application modernization relies on four critical technology solutions and capabilities.
  • a growth mindset: your organization's strategic differentiator
    A Growth Mindset: Your Organization's Strategic Differentiator
    Here are three actionable steps to foster a growth mindset across your organization.
  • Timely Tips for Non-Negotiable Patch Updates
    Timely Tips for Non-Negotiable Patch Updates
    An RMM with automated patch management can help MSPs accelerate deployment while freeing staff up to focus on other mission-critical tasks.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • 5G
    5G: Revolution or Evolution?
  • M&A
    Why All MSPs Need to Understand the M&A Landscape
  • hurricane season
    4 Things MSPs Should Consider When Prepping for Hurricane Season
  • zero-trust
    The Benefits of Zero-Trust Security over VPNs

Upcoming Events

View all

MSP Summit

September 13, 2022 - September 16, 2022

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

May 1, 2023 - May 4, 2023

Galleries

View all

7 Channel People Making Waves This Week at Verizon, Brightspeed, Okta, Nutanix, More

August 19, 2022

The Gately Report: SonicWall Partners to Play Big Role in Company’s Next Chapter

August 19, 2022

As Artificial Intelligence Advances, Is Human Error Holding Up the Contact Center?

August 19, 2022

Industry Perspectives

View all

How to Take Shared Responsibility for Securing Cloud

August 11, 2022

Seize the Application Modernization Opportunity

August 2, 2022

A Growth Mindset: Your Organization’s Strategic Differentiator

August 1, 2022

Webinars

View all

Outsmarting RaaS: Implementation Strategies To Help Your Clients Before, During, and After a Ransomware Attack

August 23, 2022

Why it is Important to Upgrade Aging Servers and How to use Live Optics to Upgrade Efficiently

August 25, 2022

Executives at Home are Not Alright: An Intro to Digital Executive Protection

September 8, 2022

White Papers

View all

Work Goes Remote – (and Other Top ITOps Trends)

May 25, 2022

The New Bottom Line: How MSPs Can Meet the Healthcare Crisis While Evolving Their Businesses

April 19, 2022

How to build a Security Operations Center (on a budget)

April 4, 2022

Channel Futures TV

View all

ThreatLocker Preaches Zero Trust, Addresses Industry Competition

Cisco Taking Partners of All Types to ‘New Heights’

August 19, 2022

Kaseya-Datto: Channel Exec Talks MSP Benefits from Acquisition

August 19, 2022

RingCentral Partner Revenue Growth Hits Highs in 2022

August 19, 2022

Twitter

ChannelFutures

.@RingCentral's Wendy Harmon explains why partners have reason to celebrate this year. @MSP_Summit… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

August 19, 2022
ChannelFutures

Channel development manager Jason Pryce of @datto on @KaseyaCorp's acquisition, security push and more. @MSP_Summit… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

August 19, 2022
ChannelFutures

.@FrontierCorp workers on #strike in California for subcontracting. @CWAUnion dlvr.it/SWwXhh https://t.co/c8QQZyBaq5

August 19, 2022
ChannelFutures

.@MichelleRagusa of @CiscoPartners gets us ready for @MSP_Summit by talking #SMB, security and more. #MSPSummit… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

August 19, 2022
ChannelFutures

.@IGIcyber sidles up to @meetgradient to bring ease of use and added value to MSPs. dlvr.it/SWwRSG https://t.co/vLFDPfAyQ1

August 19, 2022
ChannelFutures

Now Available: Expo Pass to Channel Partners Leadership Summit & #MSPSummit this September 13-16! Take a look at th… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

August 19, 2022
ChannelFutures

How do you stay on top of your game? 💪 By connecting & sharing knowledge with other elite partners, ready to stay r… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

August 19, 2022
ChannelFutures

How do you stay on top of your game? 💪 By connecting & sharing knowledge with other elite partners, ready to stay r… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

August 19, 2022

MSP 501

The industry's largest and most comprehensive partner awards program.

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Galleries

Educational slide shows and images from live events.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Events
  • Telecoms.com
  • MSP 501
  • Black Hat
  • IoT World Today
  • Omdia

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X